3-lane test of Main St. to start Monday

TUPELO – The Public Works Department will restripe Main Street on Sunday in preparation for the trial three-laning of the downtown thoroughfare.
The test will start Monday.
Crews on Sunday will cover the current stripes and place down temporary striping from Green Street to Elizabeth Street, which is now four lanes.
The new configuration will be two lanes with a center turn lane.

A dedicated left-turn signal at the Front and Main Street intersection will be turned on during the test.
The trial will last at least six weeks, according to a press release from the city today.
The test is being conducted to see if the reconfiguration makes the downtown area more appealing to visitors and non-motorists. Plus, Main Street officials say the new configuration will make traffic flow more efficiently.
The restriping will last from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, weather permitting.
Digital message boards will direct traffic on the both ends of the project.

Why is Tupelo doing the test?

The Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association is moving forward with its master plan, which calls for a $2.9 million overhaul of a section of Main Street to make it more appealing to shoppers, diners and tourists.

The City Council already has given the group the go-ahead for the plan. It also has committed money, enabling Main Street to secure state and federal funding for 80 percent of the project.

However, council members have not approved a specific design.

A major sticking point of the proposed design is the three-laning of Main Street from Green Street to Elizabeth Street. Proponents of the plan say the three-lane design will reduce traffic congestion and make the area safer for pedestrians and drivers.